


The Pink Rose

by RobotdragonX



Category: Code Geass
Genre: F/M, Fear of Discovery, Forbidden Love, Gift Giving, Kissing, Relationship Discussions, Sneaking Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-06 22:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12827232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobotdragonX/pseuds/RobotdragonX
Summary: Amidst the fears of the world around you, the one you love gives you one of her most treasured gifts.





	The Pink Rose

It's a trial you must face every night. A ritual, really.

You wake up just a half-hour after taps. When the berthing is silent and there's no one to suspect a thing. The halls are quiet, and you're able to slip out of your barracks because the rules for the night watch are pretty lax in a highly-secured place like Pendragon.

The halls of the palace are actually a lot easier to access than you'd think. Just slip in and out of a few wine cellars and storage facilities, all of which with mediocre security, and you're there.

The risk is high, regardless.

Should you be found, they would behead you in front of the emperor himself as a reminder for all who would "Threaten the security of our glorious nation."

But it's all worth it.

Now you're at her door. The moonlight flows into the lavishingly clean hallways of the palace. Softly, you knock, waiting for that answer that's taken so long to get here.

She's been overeas, out at Area 11, and dealing with the cinders of conflict that threaten to become the fires of war.

Your heart flies as her petit footsteps land on the carpet.

The door flies aside, and your heart stops.

"Y/N! Come here!" A redness fills her cheeks and she pounces you. "I've missed you so much!"  
"You have no idea!" You smile.

Her warm, light body is enough for you to pick up and swing in a circle. She giggles, and the scent of fresh summer flowers engulfs your nose, her hair strands resting on your shoulders for a brief, few seconds.

"Let's go in, I want to catch up."

"Of course, of course!"

You both step inside, and she already has the tea ready. The best flavor anyone in Brittannia could ask for, even if you'd never been much of a tea person.

At the center of the room, she prepares the bed, moving aside a few pillows for you to sit comfortably next to her.

As if anything could distract you from those sapphire eyes.

"So Cornelia says I should start thinking about courtship soon."

You raise a brow, your chest sinking slightly at that remark.

"Oh, really? And what did you say?"

Her finger comes to her lips, as if she's actually trying to find some unknown statement.

"I told her that I've got better things to do. Is that a good answer?"

She playfully bounces next to you, her white, soft, nightgown resting against your pantleg.

"It's music to my ears. So how are things in Area 11?"

The light in her face dims a little, and your thoughts instantly come up with several possible answers. What little they did cover over here was mostly propoganda, meant to satisfy the more prestigious members of Brittannian society.

"Ever since this Zero started his rebellion, they've been more riled up than anything." She sighs, resting her chin on her hands. "Why does it always have to be so complicated? Why doesn't father want us to make things easier for both of our nations?"  
"He can be a real tyrant sometimes. I think he just wants to maintain his grip on them for as long as possible."

She frowns, sitting up straight and a newborn passion burning in her eyes.

"Try as he might, my father's foreign policy will not be Brittannia's only one. I'll see to that."

You and Euphemia had always found the harsh nature of the empire towards other nations unecessary, and unjustified. But even in times of rebellion in Area 11, and the war with the Europeans, Charles could hardly be found these days.

"I know it won't. My Euphy can tame any rebel or beast with eyes like that."

She blushes, "Please, Y/N! I'm being serious..."  
"And so am I," You smile.

You pull her onto the bed, and she giggles as you collapse onto the bouncy, impossibly soft sheets. The way they made these things, it was like landing on a cloud.

She pulls close to you, her rosy scent eminating from her hair as you feel a warmth against your chest.

As her giggles die, you can practically see the concerned stare on her face. For a few minutes, you lie there, taking in the breeze of the night air coming in through the window.  
"Sometimes it's just hard...You know? To think that peace, true, actual peace, can exist in....In times like this...For so long, Brittannia's been trying to conquer other nations, and the rest of the world has come to hate us so."

"That's because they never bring out the potential in their ruling power."

"Potential?"

"Your royal family. Please forgive me, but-"  
"-My family is crazy...Were you going to say that again, Y/N?"

"A mind reader too. With a power like that, you should be the empress already!"

She pouts, crossing her arms, and making an adorable glare at you.

"I sorry, Euphy. It's not that they're crazy. It's that they haven't given the best of your kin any chance. We all know that's why Clovis...."

Her eyes widen, and you quickly catch yourself before you finish.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for..."

Good god, he's only been dead for a few weeks, and you go saying something like that. Truly the brightest of Brittannia's royal guard.

"No...No, you're right..."  
"Huh?"  
She grabs your arm, and leans against it for support. You can hear the trembling in Euphy's voice, and the guilt for even bringing it up weighs on your heart like an anvil.

"Clovis..He wasn't a perfect leader. Often he'd let his passion take the better of him, and he was known for taking things a little too far."

"Like how?"

"Oh, I've failed to tell you about the paints?"

You raise a brow, and Euphy's eyes light up with a shred of amusement once she forecasts your answer. "The paints? No, no you never told me about that."

"When he was little, he threw a temper tantrum when our father refused to let him have a four-hundred-color paint set.

"Four....Hundred!?"

"All different colors. He loved painting, and wanted to maximize his skill with having as many colors ready as he could." She smiled at the memory, likely that of her brother's flowing hair messy with the stress of trying to put the right color on the canvas.

"He was eccentric in everything he did. And perhaps that's what made him a target for Zero."

"You don't plan on....On ever trying to speak to these rebels, do you?"

She gets up, pacing the room and picking up her glass of tea. You watch the moonlight release a heavenly glow off of her white nightgown, and you're so captivated in that moment, that it takes you a second to remember your question.  
"Euphy?"

She takes a sip, takes a moment to taste it, and thinks about her next sentence.  
"If they want to be heard, I will be the one to listen."

"Euphy! You know that's dangerous!"

"And what if I just let the empire have their way? If I don't push for peace, then who will?"

She is right. Cornelia's fighting the Middle Eastern Federation, and she's going to be finished with them in a matter of days. Should power be given to her, you doubt that she's going to be easy on the Elevens.

"I know you want to make peace but...But I'm worried. About you."

"Oh Y/N," her voice sweetens. She puts her tea aside and walks back over to you, hugging you tightly and letting her warmth ease your nerves. "The royal guard will be with me the entire time. They're not going to let anything happen to a daughter of the emperor."

"Even then...Knowing that you're all the way over there and I'm back here......And what if someone finds out?"  
".....About us?"  
"At the end of the day, I'm just a guard, Euphy. Not a noble, or the son of some nation that wants to go on without it's land being stripped of it's resources. I'm a guard, and not even an officer!"

"We've been through this..."

"I know we have..."

"If someone knows...I'll take the punishment in full."

This was why you're always worried about her. And the reason you fell in love with the princess to begin with.

"Euphemia....They'd disinherit you. They'd take away your last name, your title, everything! You'd never see Cornelia again, or your father, or Schneizel. Things would never be the same and It'd be all my fault!"

"But you're worth it!" Euphy shouts.

At that instant, you flinch at her outburst. A fiercness burns in that look on her face, and a passion that captivates you for it's rarity.

Euphemia notices your surprise, and looks around, suddenly noticing how loud that was.

"I'm sorry...." She whispers. Luckily, there are few people in this wing of the royal palace tonight, save for the occasional roving guard (whom were never all too great at keeping their eyelids open once the night crept in).  
"It's fine...I'm just scared...I don't want to lose my princess, that's all."

She smiles, the light and warmth in her face building again. You always seemed to have that effect on her, and knowing you did that made life worth living.

"Hold on...I'll be back."

She gets up, rushing to her closet and going through each of the tiny drawers that were built into the wall of her wardrobe. She flicked on the light, and pulled aside dozens of gowns and dresses for occasions you could only guess.

After she's opened every drawer at least three times, (In a rather adorably frustrated fashion) At long last, the princess steps back out, a golden, glimmering charm bracelet between her fingers.

"Here!"  
She almost seems to float over to your bed, love glowing from the look on her face.  
"This was gift from Lady Marianne. She gave it to me before...You know..."

You start shaking your head. You know all too well, indeed, and that is why you can't accept it.

"I can't....Not something so precious.."

"Please, Y/N. Take it..."

Euphy carefully slides it between your fingers, pressing the little, gilded beads into your palm.

A bright, pink rose sits as the largest, decoration on the bracelet, glinting against the faint light of the moon.

"So you're going to tell me something like 'keep it, and you can look at it and remember me?'"  
She sighs. "You mock my sentiment?"  
"I'm just calling the cliche's as they come."

She looks a little upset.

"Of course not...But what would Marianne think? If she saw you, one of her daughters, giving this away to some guard on a midnight tryst?"

Her eyes look distant, as if taking in a memory.

"She'd be proud of me...For following my heart."

A little piece of heaven, this girl. What you did to deserve her, you asked god again and again each night, and he only answered by gracing you with her love.

"Alright, Euphy...For you."

"Thank you.."

She's giving you that look again, slight apprehension mixed with desire.

"Y/N?...I could use some sugar with my tea.."

You nod, and oblige without speakng. Her warm, wet lips still taste of apricot. You take in the flavor, as if to rob every last bit from her mouth.

The heat rises in your chest, and once again, temptation strikes you. It'd been something you'd wanted to do, but everytime this happens, you fight back. Someday, you'd hoped to share passion like that with her, but for now, restraint was needed.

With reluctance, you pulled away from her.

The rest of the night, you drank your own tea, a little cold after your chat with the princess. As you sat there, in the fantasy paradise that only seemed to exist in fairytales, Euphemia read you the poetry she'd written.

Not the best, as she attempted to rhyme every verse together, but there was a drive, a strong dedication, that made it worthwhile.

"Maybe you'll publish your own anthology."

"That would be grand!"

"I could be your editor..."

She raises a brow, "Wouldn't that be a little suspicious?"

"Of course. Which is why you need to hurry up and change this messed-up world. That way, everyone will know _exactly_ why I'm your editor."

You both laugh at the thought, entertaining the idea of Cordelia or maybe even Charles reading the other name and cringing at the status between you and Euphemia.  


The hour passes by, at it becomes late. She has to tend to her duties tomorrow, and you've got roving patrol on the southern section of the palace.  
She always has the same, crestfallen look whenever you leave. It reminds you what you mean to her, but you still hate it, as it signals the end of a time-honored, private tradition.

"You'll come again the rest of the week, right? I have to go back by Saturday."  
"I'll be here. Even if it costs me an arm and a leg. But not my other arm. That'd be a little too rough."

She rolls her eyes at your crude implication, but nonetheless, embraces you in the only hug you've felt for six months. It would've still been the best, even if there'd been a vigntillion before.

"Remember, Y/N...I may be far away.." Her hands clasped around the charm bracelet in your fist, her gentle touch making your fingers tingle. "But my heart is here."

You kiss one more time, the trace of tea even stronger since you had time to drink.

When the door shuts, you sigh as the adventure to sneak back to the barracks begins.

The pink rose remains wrapped around your wrist the entire way.


End file.
